The disclosure generally relates to valve arrangements for vehicle exhaust systems. More specifically, the present teachings pertain to passive flapper valves for exhaust conduits.
Many exhaust systems have attempted to use both active and passive valve assemblies to alter the characteristics of exhaust flow through a conduit as the exhaust pressure increases due to increasing engine speed. Active valves carry the increased expense of requiring a specific actuating element, such as a solenoid. Passive valves utilize the pressure of the exhaust stream in the conduit with which the valve is associated.
Traditionally, even passive valves at their lower expense give rise to problems of unwanted back pressure when the valve is open. There is seen to be a need in the art for a passive valve arrangement which may be utilized totally inside a conduit, which is relatively inexpensive, and is capable of assuming a fully open position which minimizes unwanted back pressure.